Tuesday 17 December 2013

makan angin free!

It is not for nothing when this newspaper cutting was forwarded to all staff  recently from a concerned individual in the office. Teruja bila membaca keratan akhbar ini, rupa rupanya ada jugak di kalangan pemimpin atau pemerintah di Kelantan yang  sedar 'gelagat orang orang besar' yang sering keluar negara kononnya melawat untuk mempelajari sesuatu di luar negara yang boleh dibawa balik untuk diimplementasikan di tempat sendiri. 

Diucapkan syabas kerana  beliau sudi menegur keadaan tersebut yang sememangnya telah berlarutan sejak 30 tahun dahulu. Saya berdoa semoga orang orang besar di kalangan pemerintah dapat celik mata sikit apa yang sebenarnya berlaku selama ini. Cuba hitung sejak 30 tahun dulu siapakah di kalangan pemimpin dan pembesar yang ada kuasa telah membuat lawatan keluar negara dan berapa kali.....hasilnya adalaaaaa.....dapat makan angin free! ....menghabiskan duit rakyat yang membayar cukai, tetapi hasil tidak dapat dirasa bab kata mereka 'biar orang lain bayar....kita tumpang aja kalau ada kemudahan' ...heard this statement from the horses mouth too!

Walau pun begitu saya masih ragu ragu di atas hasrat Datuk  kerana tak mungkin dapat mengubah sesuatu kerana di kalangan pemimpin yang ada sekarang sememangnya sudah 'expired' idea dan citarasa, boleh dianggap mereka berpendapat begini ... 'hidup sekarang ni ok dah...molek belako dah...pembangunan banyak dah...kereta di atas jalan  cukup banyak dah....sampai nak parkir pun susah dah....parking berbayar pun sudah dikenakan minimum caj 40 sen sekarang'.  Jalan raya dulu rasa besar dan luas, sekarang ni rasa sempit ....banyak kereta banyak parking lot...orang jual air kelapa pun boleh meniaga atas jalan...memang satu kemajuan...apa tidak nya, nak beli air tak payah turun kereta...di KB ni 'drive in' memang banyak di tepi jalan...pintu kedai pun boleh duduk atas 'road alignment'.

Satu 'kemajuan' di KB yang amat  dikagumi...kita boleh buang sampah di mana-mana walau pun tong sampah dan 'sistemnya yang amat canggih' telah disediakan, tak kena denda pun..jangan bimbang..ada orang cukup senang kalau nak buang sampah, letak saja karung sampah atau bag plastik yang padat dengan sampah di atas bonet belakang kereta dan dipandu atas jalan raya..sampai di mana mana selekoh jalan  akan tergolek jatuh di atas jalan  sebelum sampai ke tempat pembuangan sampah! 

KB ni kononnya sudah memadai dengan slogan 'Kota Bharu...Bandaraya Islam' dan juga 'Kota Bharu bersih' (cuba gak enforce sistem kebersihan di Pasar Siti Khadijah tu..nak bawa pelancong melawat ke situ baik toksah! Orang jual ikan letak atas stall tu tapi di sini terbalik, ikan duk dalam tong di bawah, tauke  hok duk bersila atas stall, lantai habih becak, kotor dan licin, sudah berapa ramai orang gelincir dan jatuh dalam PSK ni, hok boleh malu jah sebab jatuh in public).   Slogan ini sudah cukup untuk mereka yang berkuasa  mendabik dada kononnya dialah punya idea sudah buat sesuatu.  

Sekarang nampaknya MPKB telah membina tempat buang sampah yang baru dengan batu bata dan konkrit..serta dicat yang agak menarik (hijau kuning)...tapi tempatnya masih lagi di tepi jalan raya...baunya yang masam masih lagi semerbak kalau kita lalu disebelahnya...longgokan sampah masih lagi kelihatan bersepah di tepi tong....masih tak selesai, ramai lagi orang yang buang sampah di sini masih di takuk mentaliti tak reti nak masukkan sampah ke dalam tong yang disediakan.  Just for info, earlier this year a man selling 'nasi belauk' whose house is just across the street (along Jalan Wakaf Mek Zainab) from the 'tong sampah' was 'gedebum' knocked down dead by a car  when he was disposing his rubbish at the rubbish dump,  so do not think that it is safe disposing your rubbish  because most dumps here are placed so strategically by busy roadsides! 

Baguslah kalau ada sesuatu usaha yang baik itu sememangnya patut dipuji dan sebaliknya yang tidak baik itu patut dikeji.


Tuesday 3 December 2013

Field Trip aka Shopping to Hat Yai Songkla

Lately the will to blog is no longer a priority, guessed things which one find exciting in the beginning  loses its lustre over time and on top of this it was more depressing when I accidentally clicked on this site http://www.similarsites.com, and discovered some statistic about naniasda.blogspot.com... that on average  users are viewing 1.8 pages each time they visit this site and 82.61% of them exit the site without clicking on a single link...WOW!  I might as well pack it in and not blog anymore  looking at the reception this blog is receiving. Nevertheless here is some update (as requested by Teh of course) about my visit to Hatyai Songkla for Teh's and Sunah's reading pleasure...you know this blog is for you two...yeahhhh!


Ada gambar sikit-sikit nak tunjuk Teh and Sunah ni...org lain nok tumpang tengok tak dok hal punya...jangan copy paste sudoh lah...payoh nok jjupo Tok Cha gini.  Kecik-kecik dulu takut kalau jumpa 'tok cha', orang-orang tua kata jumpa tok cha jangan tunjuk dengan jari kat demo ni nanti kudung jari tuh hahaha...percaya betullah masa kita kanak-kanak anyway those long ago 'tok cha' looked so tall and forbidding in their saffron robes.  Sekarang payah nak jumpa tok cha gi mari di jalan-jalan KB, tidak serupa seperti dulu.


Met this four guys monks (tok cha) on a Hatyai market street three weeks ago.  It was on a Sunday morning my friend and I were taking a stroll along some busy street before we leave for home later in the afternoon, saw this four guys ahem...monks waiting for alms and blessing anyone who wants to be blessed that morning like this guy below.  Asked permission for their photo to be taken and the guy monk in the forefront nodded ..tengok tu malu-malu kuching pulak dia, senyum tak nak senyum sama banyak ada bunga bungaan di tangan lagi..


It was a field trip (Lawatan Sambil Belajar)  to Hatyai Songkla organised by the office management for ladies staff with four male staff accompanying us...tahu-tahu lah kan situasi di sebelah Selatan Thai sekarang.   Takut memang takut tapi hendak pergi jugak actually ini merupakan kali kedua ke Hatyai, kali pertama pada tahun 2003 dengan hubby bawak anak-anak sekali, berkonvoi dengan kereta beramai-ramai dengan ahli kelab rekreasi pejabat.  Ada polis pelancongan Thailand yang escort rombongan kami masa itu so memang rasa selamat.

Rombongan atas bas..galok benar atas bas demo-demo hok duk belake tu gege riuh...sukalah jugok gi makae angin ggini dengan office mates.


Our tour guide throughout the journey, Encik Rusdi (orang melayu-siam, cakap dialek kelate-siam) he joined our entourage at Sungei Kolok.  Panjang cerita Encik Rusdi sepanjang perjalanan ke Hatyai...tentang kerabat raja-raja di wilayah selatan thai yang kahwin dengan kerabat diraja semenanjung sampai ke negeri Johor.  Ada Raja Kuning, Raja Ungu sambil ditunjuk tempat-tempat yang menjadi sejarah di sepanjang jalan.  Not really shocking but it was to me when he told about drug addicts comes largely from these southern parts and all of them are muslims.  So satu cara/agenda menghapuskan remaja Islam melalui penagihan dadah hinggakan ada yang sanggup kikis ubat nyamuk lingkar dicampur air dan diminum...gerenti nyamuk tak ketik dia lagi kata En. Rusdi.  As you travel further up north no more drug addicts...fikir-fikirlah sendiri tentang fenomena ini.  

He also told us the incidents that caused the situation as of now in these parts, starting the incident at the Masjid Krisek in 2004 that led to the unrest till now.  He gathered it is difficult now for conditions to be back to normal and still we continue our journey to Hatyai through road blocks with posters nailed on trees by the side of the roads with words 'Stop The Killings', 'Stop Violence'...rasa takut memang meresap dalam diri especially bila tengok kat luar stesen-stesen polis yang dilalui ada dibina kubu dan kerawat berduri di sepanjang pagar. 

 Nak tunjuk gambar betapa lengangnya keadaan di Imigresen Rantau Panjang walaupun cuti minggu panjang sempena Keputeraan Al-Sultan pada masa itu.  Sebelum rusuhan di Selatan Thai memang kalut keadaan di sini. 

Imigresen di Sungei Kolok, juga nampak relaks pegawai imigresen.  Hampir sejam berada di sini, kena tunggu urusan kebenaran pelepasan bas oleh pihak imigresen thai.  Di bandar Sg. Kolok kami buat pertukaran RM ke Baht, yang tak berapa seronoknya RM sudah turun nilainya misalnya saya tukar RM700 dan perlu tambah RM18.00 lagi untuk mencukupi 7000 Baht....tidak berapa tahu pasal tukaran wang asing nih tapi gak duit kita semakin mengecil ler.  

Tidak peliklah orang Kelantan ada mempunyai ramai kaum kerabat di Sg. Kolok, Yala, Pattani.  Kita pun ada jugak, mak saudara sekarang sudah arwah duduk di Kolok ni.  She was a masseuse (tukang urut) and a very good one too.   Why Pok Teh Kar (her husband) settled there with the whole family was not known to me maybe Teh know the story?  But then our ancestors came from Siam so its not a puzzle that has to be solved.  A cousin with his family is still living here in Sg. Kolok.  My first visit to Kolok was when I was in my early teens, went with my aunt who was visiting us.  Masa tu naik perahu tambang menyeberangi Sg. Kolok.  Sampai sebelah sana naik motosikal tambang pulak...and oh I saw a popular singer shopping in one of the shops there...the late Rafeah Buang.  Teh mesti ingat kita always provoke Mok Nab (our aunt) pasal keadaan jenayah tembak menembak di Kolok yang sering kita dengar pada masa itu.  Marah benar Mok Nab bila kita kata Kolok macam bandar koboi nak marah orang ambil pistol gi tembak.  Begitulah keadaan dulu kini dan sekarang sudah merebak ke tempat kita jenayah tembak menembak ini so kalau Mok Nab ada sekarang mesti dia pulak yang provoke kita kan...

Berhenti di C.S. Pattani Hotel untuk lunch...



Duduk dua tiga hari di Selatan Thai ni naik jelak makan makanan yang pedas manis (brona perut lah weh)...



Lepas makan sembahyang jamak waktu zohor dan asar di Masjid Pattani.  Sayang masjid cantik besar tetapi tidak cukup kelengkapan sebagaimana yang diberitahu Encik Rusdi, memang semua masjid di sini begini kerana tidak cukup peruntukan.  

Dalam Masjid Pattani

I mentioned field trip kan...so sudah lewat petang kami dibawa melawat ke tempat ini sebelum check-in hotel di Hatyai.  Tidak tahu nama kampung tapi ada disebut oleh tour guide.  Di sini penduduk wanitanya buat gubahan daripada sisik ikan siakap sort of Satu Daerah Satu Industri gitu...
Sedikit briefing tentang kegiatan mereka,  suri-suri rumah yang dapat pendapatan bulanan anggaran RM700 - RM800 sebulan setiap orang. 

Kerongsang daripada sisik ikan berbagai warna dijual dengan harga 35B setiap satu.

Sedikit demonstrasi oleh mokcik-mokcik Thai bagaimana buat gubahan kerongsang 

 Cantik manis budak-budak Thai ni yang kebetulan ada di situ

Ok nati sambung lagi untuk Teh and Sunah cerita lawatan ini...

Friday 8 November 2013

Kenangan Sekejap di Istanbul

 I was in Istanbul in the year 2000 and these look-alike tellytubbies in the picture below might be around 2 or 3 years old, now they would be 15 or 16 years old.  Bila terpandang mereka gedik-gedik berjalan di area Masjid Biru (Blue Mosque) terlintas dalam kepala mereka seakan Tellytubbies   iaitu satu rancangan televisyen untuk kanak-kanak yang agak popular disiar di televisyen tempatan pada masa itu...they look so colourful and oh so so cute in their outfits.  So mintak tolong MOTH (man of the house) pergi minta izin dengan ayah kembar ni untuk snap gambar mereka untuk kenang kenangan.  Bapa tellytubbies ni izinkan tapi sayangnya MOTH tak enterframe muka bapa tellytubbies ni dalam gambar ini.


Tellytubby on the right  screwing her face ready to cry (memang nangis pun lepas gambar diambil)...takut agaknya orang tidak dikenali  ambil gambar dia hehe..but still so cute!

Melancong sekejap ke Istanbul ini merupakan acara  selepas mengerjakan umrah pada awal bulan Ramadhan tahun 2000 dan kena pulak pada musim sejuk bulan Disember brrrrrrr... Kebiasaannya dulu kalau kita pergi mengerjakan umrah travel agency akan tawar sekali melancong ke negara-negara berdekatan dengan Arab Saudi and everything all in murah dalam sekitar RM4000 lebih sikit untuk seorang  dibandingkan dengan harga pakej-pakej sekarang yang hampir mencecah RM10k seorang.  Disebabkan pada masa tu bulan puasa dan cuaca amat sejuk so tak banyak tempat yang boleh dilawati, sepatutnya dalam pakej ada river cruise di Sungai Bosphorus yang tersohor yang juga merupakan sempadan antara timur dan barat Istanbul tetapi terpaksa dibatalkan.Orang turki memang bangga yang separuh daripada tanah air mereka berada di benua Eropah, their lifestyle pun terikut-ikut cara mereka di dunia barat.

At that time I was kind of fascinated with Turkish people, they are good looking with their blue green grey eyes and  most of the men looked a lot like Sean Connery aka the most famous James Bond and the ladies...tak payah cakaplah lawa-lawa belaka.  Even yang berjalan tempang I saw at their airport pun when I first arrived pun nampak segak kehkehkeh... tetapi indah rupa daripada perangai tahun lepas semasa mengerjakan haji orang turki ni lah yang paling tidak disukai, they were a rough lot! But that is my opinion lah....


Ok nak tayang gambar yang diambil dekat satu park..tak ingatlah mungkin this area somewhere dekat Topkapi Museum.  Ada tujuan ambil gambar ini sebenarnya...semasa atas bas ke bandar Istanbul daripada lapangan terbang we were briefed by a tourist guide and I can still remember he said, 99% of the population is muslims tetapi gaya hidup jauhlah dari gayahidup orang Islam.  Di khalayak ramai boleh kissing kissing, berpeluk sakan dan tengok tu makan di bulan puasa! Entahlah mungkin mereka ni yang 1% bukan muslim.

Jalan-jalan cari sourvenir buat kenangan bersama rombongan pakej... pada masa itu ramai wanita-wanita muda pakai kasut amatlah tinggi tumitnya, mungkin trend dia oranglah masa itu. So masa pergi ke Grand Bazaar tergatal tangan beli satu pasang kasut tumit setinggi 5 inci, balik rumah malu pulak nak pakai kasut itu hingga dibuang oleh MOTH!




Kenangan di Masjid Sultan Ahmed lebih dikenali sebagai Masjid Biru (Blue Mosque).  No pictures taken inside the masjid (ruginya)..Ramai pengunjung tempatan pada hari yang kami lawati masjid itu.


The Bosphorus  behind us separating East and West Istanbul...

Bergambar dengan replika muka Kamal Ataturk..westernised punya Presiden!


Pedang-pedang bertatahkan intan berlian dan busur anak panah  yang diguna oleh pahlawan-pahlawan Islam dahulu kala antara yang dipamerkan dalam Museum Topkapi.  Saiz pedang-pedang ini panjang  dan nampak berat, terlintas di kepala mungkin saiz badan pahlawan-pahlawan Islam dulu amat besar dan tinggi.  

The only momento that I have of this visit to Istanbul 13 years ago till now is a leather skinned handbag with Turkish/Egyptian calligraphy pattern and is still in good condition.  The leather is of a fire-resistance kind and I remember how the salesman demonstrated by lighting up a lighter to burn the surface of the bag without damaging the bag.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

What a sheep!

 Could not believe my eyes when I see this picture photographed by Andres Beregovich for National Geographic Your Shot.  He was wandering through Isla Riesco (now where is this place?) when he bumped into this forgotten ranch.  He asked whether he could photograph some of the processes and could not believe the size of this sheep when he first saw it.  He almost couldn't take the picture because he was so impressed by this 140 kg sheep (about 300 lbs)!  - from 10 fascinating photos from around the globe.  Sekali tengok macam seekor beruang besar ...kalau buat korban ni nok boleh muat duo kawoh besar hehe..

Another awesome photo entered in the same category as above...a photo by Graham McGeorge.

 As captioned by the photographer, this is an Eastern Screech Owl that likes to take over woodpecker nests that have been dug out over the years in pine trees.  MashaAllah.. a truly awesome camouflage!

Monday 7 October 2013

When there's only the two of us...BUDU!

For more than nothing else am putting up pictures of a humble lunch meal since the children are no more at home.  A meal just sumptuous for old folks like us - the 'man of the house' (MOTH) and yours truly.    

 I am giving the 'man of the house' a free hand writing down the appetiser/dipping sauce he adores most...mind you due to his 'age' (hate it when anyone refers him now as 'warga emas') he cannot enjoy this heavenly sauce as much as he likes...that's the price of being a 'warga emas'...sad 'sighhhh'.

Apa lagi budu sambal durian makanan tradisi semenjak kanak kanak. 

Tradisi orang Kelantan kebanyakannya suka makan budu tak kira peringkat usia. Budu boleh dikatakan makanan atau lauk yang 'berketurunan' kerana kalau ibu bapa tak makan budu anak anak pun ikut tak makan budu (kebanyakan). Ada juga di antara orang Kelantan yang 'action' tak suka budu... malu kerana budu makanan yang tak ada 'kelas'. 'Style' atau cara makan budu ini berbagai ikut citarasa masing masing bergantung kepada habit ibu bapa atau sesiapa yang menghidang budu. Makan budu dikira tidak lengkap tanpa asam limau nipis atau asam kerat lintang (ase kerat lete) bawang, lada burung dan ikan panggang tawar. Lebih menarik lagi dimasukkan tempoyak atau sambal durian. (titik air lior aku).  Semua ramuan ini digabung atau sebagai pencicah dengan ulaman bergantung kepada sipemakannya. Ada orang suka makan cara yang agak 'tertib' sikit iaitu ramuan tadi tidak digaul dan dicicah sedikit sedikit dengan ulam dan ikan. Budu sebenarnya tidak sedap kalau dihidang terlalu banyak dalam pinggan. Ianya lebih sedap kalau ditambah sedikit sedikit semasa makan (mungkin orang tak percaya...cubalah). Ada juga orang kata budu ini lebih sedap kalau kita makan sisa lepas orang lain makan. HAI ...BUDU...BUDU...BUDU...Gaya yang tak sanggup aku telan apabila makan budu dengan seorang sahabat yang tinggal serumah (masa bujang-bujang dulu merantau di KL). Apabila mula makan dicubit ikan panggang banyak banyak dimasukkan dalam pinggan budu dan dipenyet habis habisan sampai tak nampak budu. Di saat itu aku terus hilang selera..tengok saja tak jadi nak makan. Nak ambil pinggan budu lain...tak tergamak pulak..(pengalaman makan budu yang tak dapat dilupakan seumur hidup).


Disini budu dan ulam petai rebus bersama bayam praksi (mungkin jadi ubat ....apa..kena cek). Budu boleh diproses sendiri. Budu asli yang belum di masak ditapis dan dimasak dengan campuran cili boh, asam jawa,dan 'nnisae (gula melaka) secukup rasa....adjust sendiri.

Ends the meal with a bit of dessert...pulut durian with santan yum yum yummy! 

Wednesday 2 October 2013

43 perkara yang mempunyai kaitan dengan kesusahan atau penyebab ditimpa kesusahan




Terdapat beberapa perkara yang mempunyai kaitan dengan kesusahan atau secara lebih khusus sebagai penyebab ditimpa kesusahan dan penderitaan yang mana pada kebiasaannya kita mengambil ringan tentang perkara tersebut. Dalam kitab Al-Barakah fi Fadhl lis Sa'yi Wal Harakah yang disusun oleh Abi Abdillah Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Habsyi telah diterangkan perkara yang mempunyai hubung kait dengan kesusahan seseorang.

1.  Tidak sembahyang atau solat.

2. Tidak membaca Bismillah ketika hendak makan.

3.  Makan atas pinggan yang terbalik.

4. Memakai kasut atau sandal memulakan sebelah kiri.

5. Menganggap ringan apa2 yang terjatuh dalam hidangan makanan.

6.  Berwuduk' di tempat buang air besar atau air kecil.

7.  Suka bersandar pada pintu rumah.

8.  Suka duduk di atas tangga.

9. Membiasakan diri mencuci tangan di dalam pinggan selepas makan.

10. Membasuh tangan dengan tanah atau bekas tepung.

11. Tidak membersihkan rumah.

12. Membuang sampah atau menyapu dengan kain.

13. Suka membersihkan rumah pada waktu malam.

14. Suka tidur di atas muka.

15. Membakar kulit bawang.

16. Menjahit baju yang sedang dipakai.

17. Mengelap muka dengan baju.

18. Berdiri sambil bercekak pinggang.

19. Tidur tidak memakai baju.

20. Makan sebelum mandi hadas.

21. Tergesa-gesa keluar dari masjid selepas menunaikan solat subuh.

22. Pergi ke pasar sebelum matahari terbit.

23. Lambat pulang dari masjid.

24. Doakan perkara yang tidak baik terhadap ibubapa dan anak-anak.

25. Kebiasaan tidak menutup makan yang dihidangkan.

26. Suka memadam pelita dengan nafas.

27. Membuang kutu kepala dalam keadaan hidup.

28. Membasuh kaki dengan tangan kanan.

29. Membuang air kecil pada air yang mengalir.

30. Memakai seluar sambil berdiri.

31. Memakai serban sambil duduk.

32. Mandi junub di tempat buang air atau tempat najis.

33. Makan dengan menggunakan dua jari.

34. Berjalan di antara kambing.

35. Berjalan di antara dua perempuan.

36. Suka mempermainkan janggut.

37. Suka meletakkan jari jemari tangan pada bahagian lutut.

38. Meletakkan tapak tangan pada hidung.

39. Suka menggigit kuku dengan mulut.

40. Mendedahkan aurat di bawah sinaran matahari dan bulan.

41. Mengadap kiblat ketika membuang air besar atau air kecil.

42. Menguap ketika solat.

43. Meludah di tempat buang air besar atau air kecil.

*Text berwarna biru merupakan perkara-perkara yang kerap kita terbuat.


Satu perkongsian yang diterima melalui emel ...Jazakallah Khairan Kathira Norliza Abdul Razak...

Saturday 21 September 2013

Our Children





On Children
 by Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.


You have to let them go sooner or later....

Afiq at 2 years old
Afiq at 18 years old at the hostel, KPM Beranang
,
a googled image

The youngest of my four children...Afiq wants to be an entrepreneur then where a better place than here to pursue his ambition...Insha Allah.


Ain at 6 or 7 months already in love with books
She wants to write a book

Ain's alma mater

No more sound of their voices laughing or bickering with each other at home since early September 2013.  No rocket scientists they will be but it will suffice for Abah and Mama seeing all our four children has Alhamdulillah passed their first hurdle in life with more higher hurdles to jump or cross with lots of our prayers to a successful and rewarding life.



Friday 20 September 2013

Simply Delicious and Williams!

Meletop! Meletop! Meletop sungguh meletop kali ini dapat lihat yang hidup di depan mata. Selama ini dok tengok dalam TV jah. Serina telah mengundang kita semua melalui rancangan Meletop kekedainya Simply Delicious untuk makan Char Koay Teow.  Boleh tahan juga tapi kita rasa sangat tak patut kerana dibiarkan kita duduk di meja menunggu setengah jam tanpa notis tanpa maklumat. Serina sendiri kesana kemari sibuk nampaknya. Sungguh malang tiba tiba kita tengok pelanggan yang datang kemudian telah dihidang makanan. Rupa rupanya baru kita sedar kena pergi buat order di kaunter serta dikena bayaran masa tu jugak.  PENGURUSAN YANG AMAT TIDAK SETARAF DENGAN GLAMOUR... bergambar kenangan dengan anak cucu.  






Ini pulak cerita makan kat WILLIAMS di Kelana Jaya...dah dua kali ke sini.  Everything big portions here, boleh makan lima enam orang Nasi Goreng Ketam Lembut dan semua makanan dalam gambar-gambar ni.  Yang uniknya di sini pelayan dia boleh rattle off the menu makanan at top speed...dah hafal dalam kepala mereka agaknya.

Kat William ni jugak katanya ada jugak artis artis lepak makan-makan so masa first time pergi situ terserempak dengan hero drama 'Diandra' apa nama dah... cun jugok budok tu tengok hidup-hidup luar ni.



Bestnya Cheese Naan...all buttery with 3 different sauces to dip in!

Next time in KL boleh pergi lagi...

Thursday 29 August 2013

Irfan's Flights of Fantasy


As circumstances warrant it I was not able to attend Irfan's performance recently at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas on 17 and 18 August 2013 but my two sisters Tok Teh and Tok Su were there to lend and give our utmost family moral support to our grandnephew but it's ok Irfan still remembers his Tok Ngah and autographed the musical programme for me :)

 Steady on Irfan...as always no notes infront of him (pics from MPO albums)

With guest of honour that night Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah (pic courtesy of MPO)

As reviewed in NST on 24 August 2013...


Tengku Irfan easily wowed the audience with his expressive musicality.

Read more: Irfan’s flights of fantasy - Live - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/live/irfan-s-flights-of-fantasy-1.342839#ixzz2ctsUkfbm

Another article in NST which was published before the concert...


Piano prodigy Tengku Ahmad Irfan will debut his original work at a Gala MPO concert, writes Aref Omar


HE’S only 15 but Tengku Ahmad Irfan can melodically negotiate his way around the 88 keys of the piano like an old pro.


 The boy wonder started playing at 7 and debuted with Claus Peter Flor and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in 2009. Since then he has collaborated with the likes of conductors Neeme Jarvi (Estonia), Darius Mikulski and the

Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (Bangkok) and pianist Yoheved Kaplinsky at the Aspen Music Festival in 2012.


Tengku Irfan will perform at the Malaysia In Symphony: 15th Anniversary Concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, in conjunction with MPO’s 2013/2014 season.  The two-night concert begins with a special Gala Concert tonight  for subscribers and guests, and a public performance tomorrow at 3pm (see accompanying details).


The MPO, led by music director Claus Peter Flor, will perform a repertoire of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Waltzes and a brand new composition by Tengku Irfan, titled Sahibul Hikayat Fantasy Overture.


The latter’s currently doing a double major in piano and composition as well as studying conducting at Juilliard Pre-College in New York. He is a Teaching Artist Intern for the New York Philharmonic Composer’s Bridge Program and is a High Honors high school student at the Professional Children’s School.


He recently won first prize in the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2 Competition at the Aspen Music Festival 2013. He won both the ASCAP Morton Gould Award and Charlotte Bergen Award in 2012 for his composition String Quartet No.1.

His composition was recently performed by the New York Philharmonic.


In an email interview, Tengku Irfan talks about his experience overseas and his passion for music.

What’s your typical day like in New York?
During weekdays, high school takes up all mornings and afternoons, and homework occupies my nights. Two to three hours during late afternoons will be for individual lessons or self-work for piano, composition and conducting.


Events such as performances, academic tests and research projects may alter the schedule.


Saturdays are full days at Juilliard Pre-College where I have group lessons on ear training, theory, counterpoint, studio classes for both majors, etc., and also orchestra rehearsal and chamber coaching. Sundays are for catching up with whatever that needs to be attended to!

What do you like about New York?
Most, if not all, of the world’s best performers and orchestras come here to perform, so I get to stay in one place and yet, I’m able to attend so many great performances.

What are some of your favourite classical music pieces?
This is difficult to answer because I have so many favourite pieces by composers that I love, such as Beethoven, Mahler, Prokofiev, Corigliano and many more. Recently, I have been listening to Shostakovich’s Symphony No.4. I really love its complex structure. There are so many things to unravel as we analyse it.

What’s the easiest and the hardest pieces you’ve performed so far?
Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.2 is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult pieces for me to perform. It not only imposes extreme technical demands on the pianist but also requires musical depth. The piece is also demanding on the orchestra. This makes it even more challenging for both the soloist and orchestra to tie-up together nicely.

Another piece which is tricky in a different way is probably Catenaires by Elliot Carter. It is a fast piece with a continuous chain of random notes with no repeated motifs or pauses at all.

In terms of easy pieces, I don’t believe that there is actually one.  Even though a piece may be technically simpler, the performer will always be challenged by the need to deliver it musically.

What’s Juilliard like?
I love it there! My teachers are awesome. They keep on raising the bar to constantly keep me on my toes and are always willing to give extra lessons whenever needed. They’re also always full of surprises. For instance in conducting, I may be given an unfamiliar quintet which I have to simultaneously sight read, transcribe for two-hands and sing another part on the spot.

I’m also lucky to have a circle of wonderful friends from both the Pre-College and College divisions. We constantly help each other, for instance by being an accompanist when a colleague is entering a competition.

Tell us about your new composition.
Sahibul Hikayat Fantasy Overture is inspired by the elements of several different forms of traditional music. The listener is free to interpret the music from his or her personal perspective or even relate it to his or her own experiences.

What’s your creation process like?
When it comes to inspiration, there are good and bad days! I was about halfway done at one point when suddenly I changed my mind and had to start all over again, which left me only 2½ months to complete the piece.

How many compositions have you done so far?
I can’t say for sure but in the last two years, between 10 and 15 perhaps. These range from solo and chamber works to large orchestral pieces.

You like to improvise during performances. How did this come about?
I saw pianist Robert Levin continuing this tradition of improvising cadenzas. I thought that it was interesting and a fun approach and decided to do the same.

Why do you like the piano so much?
The piano somewhat represents the range of the orchestra, from the very low to the very high pitches. Since I love the orchestra, the ability of the piano to emulate it to a certain degree is probably why I like it.

Do you enjoy other genres of music?
I enjoy listening to jazz. Art Tatum and Chucho Valdes are amazing!

How do you spend your free time?
I love spending time with my siblings and friends. We may just hang out together or go to the movies, etc. I’m also very much into playing multiplayer computer and iPhone games with my friends, such as Asphalt 7.

*****************************************
My sister, Tok Teh's narration...

In August 2011 a couple of days before  Ramadan, Irfan with his siblings n parents  were back in Kota Bharu to bid us farewell.  Before flying off to New York.. I remember his final goodbye,  in Malay, of course he seldom uses English to communicate with his grand aunts, understating his adage ' Irfan anak Malaysia sejati', ..' Don't worry, l won't change except growing up a few inches hahahaha.. That is Irfan who always laughs after stating something.

Well growing a few inches indeed, two years  later when we met him recently in August 2013, he has grown taller by more than a few inches, he  is now a 5 ft 4 inch lanky teen at 15 yrs old. Exactly what he had promised, he hardly change.. he is still humble and lovable. In fact he practically hugged me and my sister, who he affectionally called  Tok Teh and Tok Su, after his performance at the Gala MPO which premiered his composition Sahibul  Hikayat Fantasi  Overture and that evening too, he has also flawlessly tackled Prokofiev's piano concerto no 2, which has been described as a fiendish piece by most experienced pianists. There he was in front of us, his grand aunts, our cucu or grand nephew, just the same Irfan we know and love since he was a baby... Nothing pompous about him or no flaunting off accent with an American  drawl . He still sounds very Malaysian and keep on speaking in Malay! Praise be to Allah, His Most Mighty who keeps Irfan just as humble and keeping low profile as ever before.


Irfan and family did return to Kota Bharu for a day trip on 23 August 2013, stealing a few hours from their hectic schedule just to be with his grand aunts, grand uncles and cousins, l recollected  his father's words when we talked on the phone just as they arrived from New York on  Raya day this year,  "we could not make it last year (going back to Kota Bharu), and we feel our holidays back to Malaysia is not complete then but this year 2013, we make it a point in fact planned it from base, to fly back to KB..."  How wonderful  it feels to be remembered and appreciated  by our niece (Irfan's mother) and nephew in law, and of course enjoying total devotion from Irfan and his sisters.

Yes we do have great time with them, we infact held a little family feast, inviting relatives to welcome home  Irfan and family, which l think was a bit perturbing for Irfan's mother who l believe wanted to have quiet moments with her aunts. Anyway Irfan especially , maintain his usual humbleness, obliging requests to have his photo taken, he dutifully salam with everybody, stand by the door to bid our guests goodbye (which the Malays propounded as good manners to send off guests each time they left) and bears all questions without flinching a bit even some questions are a bit personal, yet I am proud to hear him answering in a matured way, far beyond his tender years,  for e.g. one relative asked him, ' do you plan to come home for every Raya? His answer was, 'Alhamdulillah, the last two years we could spend our hari raya in Malaysia. 'A very uncommitted answer yet it sounds gracious without hurting the feelings of the person who had asked.



A little feast of local Nasi Dagang and Laksam to welcome the New York family back in KB and of course the delicious and colourful trifle courtesy of our niece, Norry.


Enjoying playing board games with Tok Su and his sister, Hana..

Irfan, Hana and especially Iman (who dotes on cats) getting to know Kaka 
 Tu dia Iman dah dapat riba Kaka dan Irdina riba Lulu ..

A snapshot with Hj Aka's family who's wife is our second cousin

With Tok Lah, Tok Teh, Tok Ngah and Tok Su and and Irfan's Mak (our niece)

One outstanding change in Irfan is his profound love for music deepens more and more, probably without a piano on hand, he is sometimes restless. I saw him relentless stalking round our living room, 'Irfan, do you need anything? Food or drinks? I asked.... ' No no nothing, please don't worry Tok Teh, its just music, ' he laughed...  Oh  my dearest  cucu is thinking of his music, everytime, everywhere, most of the time. ... Piano will conjure up all the time in his mind!
 Took a peek at Irfan's blog  and saw this picture of him conducting..hope your Baba don't mind Tok Ngah paste it on her blog hehe...

Last but not least...
 The whole family with Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah (pic courtesy of MPO)



Daiyan's Giant Caterpillars (Part II)

                                      CEO of RapidKL's tweet inviting Daiyan to visit LRT depot...                          ...